Yoplait Says Drop the Judgment, 'Mom On,' and Eat Some Yogurt

Campaign by 72andSunny Centers on Not Putting Moms Down

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General Mills' Yoplait is trying to step up its game after a prolonged sales slump with a new empowerment message to moms.

The new campaign marks the brand's first work from 72andSunny, one of the main creative agencies General Mills hired last year.

Yoplait is promoting the idea of not putting moms down for decisions such as working outside the home, staying at home, breastfeeding in public, having kids later in life, dressing to impress or sporting a beloved-yet-often-ridiculed mom standard: yoga pants.

"One of the key experiences of motherhood is judgment and shaming" and Yoplait wanted to show moms' support, said Justine Armour, group creative director at 72andSunny. "It felt like a good conversation to be having."

The spots, including the lines "Do What Tastes Right" and "Mom On," also play up the brand's approachability. "It's not made with cage-free Norwegian hemp milk," a woman says as she holds up a cup of Yoplait while a child clutches her leg.

"When we talk to moms, judgment, especially on social media, comes up frequently," Susan Pitt, Yoplait's marketing communications senior manager, said in a statement. "We know it makes a hard job even harder and we want to surround moms with support and encouragement."

The agency said it also made a point of casting women with different ethnicities and ages. "Moms don't feel that they see themselves represented in advertising, even when the mom character is there," Armour said.

If moms connect with the message, maybe they'll start buying more Yoplait yogurt. General Mills' yogurt business has struggled lately as competitors led by Chobani have been gaining ground. Chobani surpassed Yoplait to take the top brand spot in U.S. yogurt last year, while Dannon, with a variety of brands, remained the largest U.S. yogurt maker overall, according to data from Euromonitor International. General Mills' U.S. retail yogurt business sales fell in the first three quarters of fiscal 2017 after a 7% decline in fiscal 2016. (The company is due to report fourth-quarter and fiscal 2017 results later this month.)

Along with TV spots, the campaign includes GIFs and other digital content.